Hi, Dalsor--kudos to you for getting out there and welcome to RA! My first suspicion with the bad feelings you ran into on your run were that maybe you were going out too fast. I get some of those symptoms when I'm running all-out at the end of a race. Are you running easily enough that you could carry on a conversation with another person? That's a good way to measure effort and make sure that you're not overdoing it. As for the arch issue...since you are a new runner it could just be your muscles and tendons being stressed by new effort. When I have that outer arch pain issue it's almost always from a shoe that is too stiff. Not necessarily too much stability, but a shoe without enough forefoot flexibility--I have a pair of neutral shoes that cause me this issue, as well as a pair of moderate stability ones that do the same thing, so it's not the medial post that's the problem. A shoe that is too big/long might cause your feet to work harder, too, which also can make for sore arches. If the shoes don't suit you I'd bet that the store would take them back--most good running stores will, since they want to keep you uninjured and buying more shoes in the future. Keep up with it--it DOES get easier and better.

Welcome to the sport. It sounds like you went and got a decent set of shoes and have a plan to follow... that's a great start. Your experience brings a couple of ideas to mind. First of all it sounds like you could have used a little more water before you started. You're not at a point where you should need to carry any, but you should be well hydrated before you start. Get lots of fluids a couple of hours before you start (not right before you start, or you'll have to find a bathroom halfway through). Second, you may need to slow down. Even the most experienced runners on here do the bulk of their runs much more slowly than they race. During your running intervals, make it a nice easy jog. This will help your body adapt. It needs to get used to the new stresses being put on it. But running nice and easy, your cardiovascular system will make some big improvements that will allow you to go farther and faster over time. To answer your other questions: I can't speak for everybody, but I remember that starting was a bit painful. I also didn't start off very smart, so I made it harder than I should have. You shouldn't have had to eat anything to have the calories to get through the workout. That said, I personally hate running with nothing in my stomach. A light snack 30-60 minutes before you start won't hurt. Some advice for you: Read the posts on this site often. You'll probably see a lot of things that affect you already, and many things to watch out for. You'll see plenty of trends in advice people trade at all levels that will help you learn to run well. You should also sign up for a race. Having that kind of a goal is amazingly motivational. Lastly, no matter how many miles you run or how fast you run them, someone on here is doing more faster... never compare yourself and feel that you should be doing the same.

I ran for time, and around the middle of my session I felt exhausted...drenched in sweat, my throat was on fire, and for some reason my inner ear was killing me.?

With the exception of the inner ear, sounds like you had a good run. On a more serious note, it sounds like you are just pushing your pace too much. Your breathing should be such that you could carry on a conversation. Take it easy on your run, and take it easy on yourself. C25K is designed to avoid overuse injuries, if you take it slow and build up gradually there will be plenty of time to drop the hammer and recreate the joyous misery you described above. Dont' be discouraged, just stick with the plan. Best of luck to you.

Wow, that was fast. Thanks for all the encouragement guys! I had really bad cotton mouth around the halfway point as well. I probably have to hydrate a little more before, and take it a little slower. We'll see how it goes on Tuesday. Thanks again guys, and if anyone has any tips, I would love to hear them.

As the others have said; just slow down, you should never be totally out of breath when you run. If you can't finish the running portion, that is alright, your conditioning will quickly improve to the point where you can. If you are having a lot of trouble completing the running portion don't be afraid to repeat the week. Taking longer to get through the program is perfectly fine, trying to force the issue by trying to run too fast or moving on to the next week before you are ready is a good way to get injured. Tom

Also, keep in mind it was VERY warm today, even at 9:00. I went out for a regular, easy run this morning at 9:30 and it was already past 85 and climbing. Took way more effort than I had anticpated. I am just north of you in Redlands. Welcome and good luck. I did C25K about a year or so ago and it's a sound program and you'll see results right away. Everyone is so right with the slow down and take it easy. Maybe on the hot days carry a water bottle...you can get a handheld with a strap at the local running place for ~$10-15.

Hey Everyone, Today was my first day of c25k, and I ran for time, and around the middle of my session I felt exhausted...drenched in sweat, my throat was on fire, and for some reason my inner ear was killing me. I had a sudden wave of nausea and had to sit on the

You sound like you might be coming down with something. It does get easier, else there wouldn't be so many of us addicted to it.